Press Release

With support of Senator Mark Leno and Proven Record of Leadership, Democrat Scott Wiener moves forward with Campaign for a Sustainable Future for California and the Bay Area

San Francisco--Today, Supervisor Scott Wiener, Democrat of San Francisco, announced his candidacy for the California State Senate, District 11. District 11 includes all of San Francisco, Daly City, Broadmoor, and Colma, and a portion of South San Francisco. The incumbent, Senator Mark Leno, is endorsing Wiener's candidacy, as are Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Kamala Harris, Assemblymember David Chiu, State Senator Jerry Hill, Board of Equalization Member Fiona Ma, all 5 members of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, and numerous San Francisco and San Mateo County elected officials, labor unions, and community leaders (full endorsement list below).

As a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and a lifelong Democrat, Wiener has established a broad and deep track record focused on increasing our city and region's sustainability through better housing policy, increased investment in transit, innovative water policy, expanded clean energy, and a healthy urban forest; working to improve community health and access to health care; increasing economic and cultural vitality; and supporting our public schools.

“While we are fortunate to live in a region filled with opportunity and resources, San Francisco and the entire Bay Area are facing significant challenges that will shape our lives for years to come. Our challenge is how we manage those resources so everyone benefits,” said Supervisor Wiener. “I will fight for better and more reliable transportation, more housing for people of all income levels, improved open space and parks, innovative approaches to our very real environmental challenges, and broad access to affordable, quality health care and public education.”

Wiener hasn’t shied away from making the tough decisions needed to make progress toward a more sustainable San Francisco and Bay Area. As described in detail below, he has taken on some of the hardest issues facing the region, including housing, transportation, water and energy policy, and healthcare access. He authored groundbreaking legislation tying transit funding to population growth, allowing new in-law units in existing buildings, requiring water recycling in large buildings, expanding access to clean, hydro-electric power, requiring humane treat of seniors in long-term care facilities, and addressing the explosion of type 2 diabetes and stubborn HIV infection rates.

As State Senator, Wiener will continue to make the hard choices needed to move our community and region in the right direction. He will focus on addressing California's sustainability challenges, particularly the need to encourage more housing through smart and well-planned growth, enhanced funding for affordable housing, dramatically increased focus and investment in transit, aggressive efforts to address the water crisis and climate change, and strong access to health care, nutritious food, and great public education for all Californians.

"Supervisor Wiener has proven to be a prolific, accomplished, and earnest legislator while serving on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors," said Senator Mark Leno. "On complex issues as varied as transportation, health, civil rights, housing and the environment, Scott has boldly demonstrated an uncommon understanding and command. I have great confidence that as a State Senator, Scott's work ethic, values, intelligence and tenacity will serve the constituents of the 11th Senate District extremely well."

Scott is an 18-year resident of San Francisco's Castro neighborhood, where he has a long history working in the community. Before being elected to the Board of Supervisors, he served as Chairman of the San Francisco Democratic Party; played a key role in building the San Francisco LGBT Community Center; and served as president of his neighborhood association. He worked as a Deputy City Attorney in the San Francisco City Attorney's Office, where he tried cases to juries and handled appeals up to the United States Supreme Court. Wiener is a product of public schools and earned degrees from Duke University and Harvard Law School, as well as studying in Santiago, Chile, on a Fulbright Scholarship. Wiener's full bio is at www.scottwiener.com/about.

EXAMPLES OF WIENER'S LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

-Housing: Wiener authored various cutting edge pieces of legislation to reform San Francisco's approach to housing, including legislation to allow for the addition of new in-law units, to reduce evictions and keep tenants stable in their housing, to provide a density bonus to encourage developers to add more affordable units in their projects, to improve San Francisco's process for approving housing, to allow for micro-units, and to make it easier for universities to build student housing. Wiener is a strong supporter of investing in affordable housing for low and moderate income residents.

-Transportation: Wiener is a leading voice on the need for greater investment in public transportation, to increase its capacity and reliability as we grow. He authored Proposition B, which ties transit funding to population growth. He chairs the San Francisco County Transportation Authority and represents San Francisco on the regional Metropolitan Transportation Commission as well as the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway, and Transportation District Board of Directors. He works to ensure that high speed rail connects to downtown San Francisco and to move forward the concept of a second transbay tube to allow for expanded BART capacity and overnight BART service. He authored legislation to require a strategic plan for improved late night transportation. He legislated reforms and obtained significant funding for street safety projects, including improvements to make our neighborhoods more walkable and bikeable. Wiener also fights to ensure that large developments pay transit impact fees to ensure our transit system keeps up with population growth.

-Environment and Open Space: Wiener works to keep San Francisco and the Bay Area at the forefront of progressive environmental stewardship. He authored groundbreaking legislation to require large new developments to use recycled water, to increase use of clean, hydro-electric power in new developments, and to better care for and expand our urban forest. He is a strong advocate for preserving open space and investing in our park system so that it serves all residents. For example, he authored legislation to preserve several different neighborhood open spaces and played a key role in passing the 2012 parks bond, as well as moving forward the renovations of Dolores Park, Glen Canyon, and other parks.

-Health Access: Wiener is a leader on health issues. He successfully opposed insurance company efforts to dramatically increase drug co-pays, thus improving patient access to affordable prescription drugs. He plays a key role in ensuring continued access to HIV care and prevention services, oral health treatment, and mental health services. He co-authored San Francisco’s proposed soda tax, which would have funded nutrition, physical activity, and health programs, and authored an ordinance that requires health warnings on advertisements for sugary drinks.

-Education: A product of public education, Wiener strongly supports our public schools and fights to protect and increase funding for schools, including pre-school and after-school programs. He advocates for school nutrition, water access in schools, physical education, and improved oral health. He works to keep our kids safe, by helping lead San Francisco's efforts to support mandatory vaccination for school-age children and working to improve pedestrian safety near schools. Wiener also advocates for increased transit access for San Francisco State University students and authored legislation to expand access to student housing.

-Seniors and Youth: Wiener works to meet the needs of our seniors and youth. He authored first-of-its-kind legislation to protect LGBT seniors in long-term care facilities and obtained funding for senior meal, mental health, and other programs. He also obtained funding for housing and employment programs for at-risk youth.

-Good Government: Wiener authored Prop D, which consolidated municipal elections - rather than having an extra, very low turnout election. This change, passed overwhelmingly by voters, saves San Francisco $4 million every four years. Wiener also authored legislation improving the CEQA appeal process and streamlining the permit process for many small businesses.

-Arts, Nightlife, and Culture: Wiener has been a leader on nightlife and culture issues. He requested key economic impact studies on the contributions of nightlife and entertainment, including street fairs and festivals, to San Francisco's economy. These studies formed the basis for policies that support and promote nightlife and entertainment, rather than treat them as problems to be managed. He authored several pieces of legislation to allow for more live music and more nightlife as well as better enforcement regarding nightlife operators who violate the rules. He is a strong advocate for improved late night transportation, including 24-hour BART service.

ENDORSEMENTS:Following are the elected officials, labor unions, organizations and community leaders who have endorsed Wiener's candidacy to date: